2009 Report to the Community Table of Contents
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ity 2009 Report to the Commun Table of Contents page one › Letter from the President page two › Giving Into the Future Together page three › Making History page four › Donation Provides Unique Opportunity page five › Renaissance Man page six › Corporate Donations Fill Instructional Equipment Needs page seven › Helping Students “Achieve the Dream” page eight › Foundation Raises Funds for the Future page nine › Foundation Events page ten › Student of the Year page eleven › Scholarship Recipients Thank Benefactors at Annual Scholar-Donor Breakfast page twelve › In Memoriam: Raymond Polchow page thirteen › Keeping Pace with Rapid Changes in Technology page fourteen › Donors Invest in the Community page fifteen › Operating Budget 2008-2009 page sixteen › Foundation Financials page seventeen › Donor Acknowledgements page twenty-one › College Leadership back cover › Acknowledgements About the cover › The accomplished individuals pictured on the cover are graduates of Zane State College. Many continued their education after leaving the College and all have become active contributors to the community. Their success speaks volumes about Zane State College’s enormous impact in Southeast Ohio. › Steven Barrows ’08, student, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy › Ann Beasley ‘93 and ‘94, administrative associate, American Electric Power › Melissa Corbett ‘85, radiology technician, Southeast Ohio Regional Medical Center › Roberta Cramer ‘03 and Keith Saylor ‘03, chefs and owners of Roberta’s Professional Cakes and Catering › Dick Sorg ‘71, executive director, Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District › Ed Voorhies ‘93, deputy director, Southern Ohio Region of Prisons › Sue Wilson ‘77, vice president, The Community Bank Letter from the President During a celebratory dinner last fall to mark the end of our year-long 40th anniversary celebration, I reminded the assembled guests of when Charles Stewart, father of our valued board member, Bill Stewart, joined a delegation in Columbus to request our charter from the Board of Regents. There was a large picture on the wall that depicted an old trimotor airplane of the ‘30s. Mr. Stewart told the Regents that technical education in Ohio at that time was as outdated as that picture. With the issuance of our charter, we took a giant leap from that old trimotor plane to the Boeing 747. In 2009, with a shared and focused purpose, our employees and stakeholders worked together to move us from that jumbo jet toward what could best be described as space shuttle status. What an extraordinary year for Zane State College! As a “top 10” two-year college, with a growing student population and outstanding completion and placement rates, we continued our meteoric rise in 2009, helping our students reach their goals and filling employment gaps throughout this community. Highlights during the year included: • The Higher Learning Commission gave approval for the College to begin offering Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. These new degrees are focused on the general education requirements of a bachelor’s degree and are designed for students who intend to transfer to a university after completing an associate degree. • The College achieved the elite status of being one of only two institutions in the nation to receive both Leah Meyer Austin Special Recognition for Institutional Transformation and the Achieving the Dream Leader College designation. This status, combined with the grant we were awarded by MDC, Inc. and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, means that Zane State College is highly-regarded for its success in positively affecting student success. • The College received another national ranking after the Center for Digital Education and Converge magazine recognized Zane State College for being seventh in the nation for providing exceptional support through information technology. • Enrollment continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Up 69% over the last six years, our enrollment growth is a clear indicator that we are turning out well-prepared graduates who are able to contribute immediately to southeast Ohio and make our region a more vibrant community. • The College Foundation experienced another record fundraising year. Thanks to support from the community, we are funding scholarships and making many needed improvements to the College. These and many other highlights are detailed in the pages of this Community Report. The stories included in the report clearly illustrate that Zane State College is gaining momentum as we continue to strive toward our vision of Empowering people, Enriching lives, and Advancing the region. Sincerely, Enrich. Empower. Advance. › 1 Giving Into the Future Together Ask any student what he or she thinks is special about Zane State College and, chances are, the same few things will be mentioned. At the top of the list? The caring attitude demonstrated by faculty and other employees on a daily basis. Last fall, Zane State College employees showed just how important students are by “Giving Into the Future Together.” One hundred percent of employees participated in an employee-run campaign to raise funds to ultimately benefit students, showing their commitment to making a difference. “Since the day I came to work at Zane State College, I have always felt at home,” said Terry Moore, Director of Safety and Security. “It means a lot to me personally that the people I work with are as concerned as I am about making this a special place for our students.” Lynn Wells, Information Technology professor, spoke at one of the tree-planting ceremonies about what the campaign meant to him. “Our outstanding co-chairs and their team took ownership of the employee campaign, driving us to meet 100 percent of our goal,” said Pamela Jira, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement and College Foundation. “The sheer force of their passion for the College and their desire to see the vision for our initiatives realized helped ensure the campaign was a tremendous success.” During the four-week campaign, employees planted trees on the Zanesville and Cambridge campuses to mark their progress. Both the trees and the contributions they symbolize will serve as a legacy for students and the Employees celebrated a successful campaign community for many years into the future. with lunch “alfresco.” Employee Campaign Team Members Pamela Kirst, Co-Chair Linda Metz, Co-Chair Konrad Akens › Al Brown › Jeffrey Devlin › Brenda Elswick › Kim Lawler › Senti Longkumer Julie MacLaine › Terry Moore › Shanna Morgan › Linda Sinift Making History Although Dr. John Marks retired from Zane State “Whether in the classroom, in the field, or pursuing College last year, he is certainly not forgotten. That research/grant funding, John’s number one priority is the message the Board of Trustees sent to the has always been the student,” said Dr. Chad Brown, former Environmental Science, Safety, and Health Vice President for Academic Services and Workforce Development “For more than three decades, Dr. John Marks personified what it means to be learner centered.” Attracted to the diversity of the College’s programs, Dr. Marks came to Zane State College straight from earning a doctorate at Bowling Green State University in 1974. While at the College, he was responsible for securing over $1 million in federal grants, including four National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. Over the years, Dr. Marks grew the environmental program with a passion and dedication that earned him numerous awards—including two Faculty Excellence awards and several environmental awards. Dr. Marks’ most recent honor acknowledges the collective contributions he has made to the College, most important of which is the success of his students. “Dr. Marks took my interest in natural science and was able to open it up into whole new fields I’d never before explored,” said Lindsey Boaz, Dr. Marks was happiest when he was in the field with who graduated from the Environmental Science, students. “I loved the hands-on practical approach,” he once Safety, and Health Program last spring. “The remarked. “We talked about it in the classroom and we remarkable thing is that he honestly, wholeheartedly did it in the field. What a treat.” cared as he did it.” professor when they officially recognized him in 2009 as Faculty Emeritus. “For 35 years, Dr. Marks’ students have greatly benefitted from his focus on teaching as measured by the accomplishments of the many students that have passed through his classroom door,” said Professor of Physical Science/Environmental Resource Management, Dan Durfee, who nominated Dr. Marks for this honor. “The examples of the contributions that he has made to move the mission of the College forward are nearly endless.” Dr. Marks (right) early in his 35-year career. Enrich. Empower. Advance. › 3 Donation Provides Unique Opportunity With an eye toward conservation and education, Milo and Greg Hilty, the father and son team behind Hilty LLC, have donated 71 acres of land in Muskingum County to Zane State College to be used as an outdoor laboratory for students to identify plants and study features of wetlands. The land will be deeded to Zane State College after Hilty LLC completes a wetland preservation project, referred to as wetland mitigation. The process of transforming the site from fallow farmland to a forested and shrub wetland could take 5 to 10 years. In the meantime, Zane State College faculty and students will have exclusive access to study the habitat and observe its transformation to a wetland. “My dad and I selected Zane State College to deed the land to because we both value education,” said Greg Hilty, an environmental consultant who specializes in underground storage tanks and hazardous waste. “It is so important for everyone to get an education. The Shannon Valley Wetland Mitigation Bank provides a hands-on experience that students just don’t get in the classroom.” Greg Hilty has met with environmental science classes to discuss both the environmental and regulatory aspects of the land. “I really enjoy working with the students,” Hilty said.